As it is well known, Kevin Durant will enter free agency for the first time in his career this summer. At age 27, the 2013-14 NBA MVP and seven time All-Star is still in his prime, and he should be for at least the next four or five years. It seems crazy that Durant has been in the NBA for nine seasons after getting drafted second overall behind the infamous Greg Oden in 2007. Durant’s accolades, stats, and pedigree speak for themselves, and there is no doubt that he is a top player in the NBA who has the potential to shake up the entire landscape of the league should he decide to leave Oklahoma City this summer. In no particular order, let’s examine some potential suitors who would be fortunate enough to have Kevin Durant take his talents to their city next fall.
The Golden State Warriors are the defending NBA Champions. They’re 45-4, on pace to become the best team in NBA history. If they don’t win the title again, it would be an upset. But, somehow, someway, the possibility exists that they could sign one of the three best players in the league? Yes, it is possible for Kevin Durant to suit up in a Warriors jersey next season. In fact, it is very possible for that to happen.
While Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are both signed to rather hefty contracts, Steph Curry, the best basketball player on the planet (sorry LeBron), makes just $11 million per year, which is the best bargain in the NBA from a team’s perspective. Signing Durant would likely require trading Andre Iguodala and Andrew Bogut, in addition to letting restricted free agents Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli sign elsewhere. Bogut’s value to the Warriors seems to decrease each night as their small ball lineup is so effective, and Ezeli is a nice, young player, but by no means is he an essential piece to hold on to. On the other hand, losing Iguodala and Barnes would indeed be significant to this team in terms of chemistry and talent. When the end prize is replacing them with a superstar like Kevin Durant, you would have to figure that GM Bob Myers would most certainly be willing to pull the trigger on such moves.
Durant’s shooting and versatility make him an ideal fit for the Warriors’ style of play, which is mainly built on shooting threes, playing unselfishly, and defending multiple positions. The reasons why Durant would want to join the Dubs are fairly obvious; there are no secrets as to why a player would want to sign with one of the best teams to ever walk on a basketball court. If Durant really cares about winning and less about his individual legacy and stats, then signing with the Golden State Warriors would most definitely be the most appealing option. If this were to happen, the NBA world might just explode.
A couple hundred miles south of Oracle Arena lies a more historic and familiar landmark, the Staples Center, home to both the Lakers and Clippers. The storied history of the franchise and the Hollywood fame that comes along with being a Los Angeles Laker will always be attractive to NBA free agents, even in the franchise’s darkest days. Durant knows the Lakers are committed to winning and have some young players on the roster, but a .196 winning percentage speaks volumes as to where the Lakers currently stand compared to the rest of the NBA. In recent years, superstars like LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, and LaMarcus Aldridge have politely said “thanks, but no thanks” to the Lakers’ free agent pitches, and I don’t see it going any differently if and when Durant sits down with the Lakers’ brass of recruiters this summer. As for the Clippers, if Blake Griffin’s reputation within the organization continues to deteriorate, then a Griffin-Durant swap may be possible via a sign and trade. It’s a long shot, but certainly worth monitoring over the next few months.
As for the East coast, the Wizards and Celtics seem to be the most realistic options, with the Nets and Heat in the race as wild cards. Wizards fans have been waiting for the 2016 offseason for years, knowing that Durant grew up in the DC area and hoping that he would consider playing for his hometown. A year ago, the Wizards would have been one of the top potential landing spots for Durant, but they are amidst a miserable season with limited production outside of John Wall and the injury-prone Bradley Beal. Washington sits at 21-26, which is a huge disappointment after winning 46 games and sweeping the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs last year. The more the Wizards continue to lose, the less likely Durant is to return home to our nation’s capital next fall.
In Beantown, the Celtics have a tradition of winning, tons of draft picks, and one of the best front offices in sports, led by Danny Ainge. Oh, and they have a pretty good roster too – one good enough to be tied for the third seed in the Eastern Conference. Ainge could put together an impressive pitch to land Durant, and the Celtics could very easily fly under the radar come July. After a few years of tearing it down, Boston is once again a top destination for free agents.
As for the Nets, they will have to rely on overpaying mediocre free agents in order to remain remotely competitive the next few years, unless, of course, a miracle occurs and the luxurious new practice facility and New York market are enough to persuade Durant to come to Brooklyn. The natural appeal of playing in Brooklyn in a world class arena can only shield Durant’s eyes and attention from the Nets’ disarray for so long. Regardless of whoever Mikhail Prokhorov hires as the new GM and head coach, the lack of talent and stability of the Nets will push Durant away before Prokhorov’s flight even lands back in the US from Russia, which is where he seems to spend most of his time anyways.
Down in South Beach, the Heat seem to have a foundation in place. However, Dwyane Wade is aging, Hassan Whiteside will be an unrestricted free agent, and Luol Deng and Goran Dragic haven’t quite played as well as the Heat would have hoped. Most importantly, don’t count out Pat Riley. If the summer of 2010 hasn’t taught us anything, it should prove that Pat Riley and the Miami Heat should never be left out of the conversation when discussing superstar free agents.
After all of the conversations about teams on both sides of the nation that will be interested in pursuing Durant’s services, the favorite still remains the franchise that resides smack in the middle of the country, the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder probably should have won a title by now, but they haven’t. GM Sam Presti has built teams around Durant and teammate Russell Westbrook that have contended for the Western Conference Finals nearly every season since 2010. As much talk as there used to be with regard to Durant’s lack of chemistry and poor relationship with Westbrook, all of that seems to be an issue of the past, as now the two will go down as one of the best duos of all-time, regardless of where Durant winds up next year. With Serge Ibaka, Enes Kanter, and other pieces in place, the Thunder once again have one of the best teams in the league and will continue to for the foreseeable future, as long as Durant stays. The Thunder have quietly put together a 38-13 record this season, which is the third best in the NBA, behind only the Warriors and Spurs, who have stolen much of the media attention away from OKC.
Do the Thunder have a flawless roster? Absolutely not. However, they have as good of a chance as anyone to dethrone the Warriors, and there is no reason for Kevin Durant to leave. He has grown up with the Thunder organization, and it is very clear that he loves the fans and the community. Durant’s loyalty and love for this city should play a major role in his decision, but as LeBron James proved in 2010, sometimes loyalty just isn’t all that important.
Aside from the teams already mentioned, the Bulls, Raptors, Rockets, and Mavericks could all potentially be in the mix. It’s too soon to know for sure who will go all out for Durant and who he will actually consider this offseason. My mind and gut both say that Kevin Durant will stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but I’m not Kevin Durant, so my opinion only means so much. This summer will most definitely be one filled with free agency pitches and rumors surrounding the four time NBA scoring champion, Kevin Durant.
